Austin edited 4He turned 5 this past summer.  How did I miss it?  Of course, he was doted on, it was celebrated, there was a party with friends, and gifts, and cake, but yet, I still missed it.  I was there.  I was fully present for my son.  What I am referring to is how I missed the significance of this milestone¦.of this particular age.  You see, as an adoption social worker, it is well known that children 5 and older are significantly less likely to be adopted than their younger counterparts.  Especially boys.  While I have often internally compared my babies to the babies from China that I work hard to find families for, they were still just that¦..babies.  But the fact is, babies find homes.  Babies get families.  Babies are chosen and wanted. 

Kids, not as much. Austin edited 3

So, here I sit, once again, thinking of my Murphy, as if he were one of those waiting in a Chinese orphanage.  I used to picture him in a crib.  But, now that I realize the significance of his age, he would have been better off in a crib.  In a crib, he would have had a better chance of being chosen.  Now, now that he is over 5, with a ˜defective’ heart that may need prolonged medical treatment, he would wait.  Possibly forever.  With no family to step forward for him.

I think of Murphy.  I think of Murphy, and I find solace in knowing that he is not living in those shoes.  But that doesn’t erase the thoughts.  The thoughts of a 5-year-old boy, with a ˜bad’ heart, living in an orphanage, waiting.  Makes me immediately think of Austin.  Austin.  Has a heart condition.  Murphy.  Has a heart condition.  Austin.  Has a ready smile.  Murphy.  Has a ready smile.  Austin.  Extroverted.  Murphy.  Extroverted.  Austin.  Loves cartoons.  Murphy.  Loves cartoons.  2 boys.  2 boys with so many similarities.  2 boys born into completely different circumstances.  But 2 boys nonetheless.

Austin edited 1Austin is my Murphy in another body.  He is not a diagnosis.  He is not an age.  Austin is an amazing, joyful, hyper, sweet, snotty, sassy, shy, loving, naughty, obedient, sometimes disobedient, feisty, sensitive, active, creative, little boy, whose odds of being ˜chosen’ went down immensely when he turned 5 this past February.  Don’t let him be a statistic.  Give him the family he so deserves. 

Austin is eligible for a $5,000 Bright Futures Grant through Madison Adoption Associates.  Please contact Sarah at sarah@madisonadoption.org for more information, or visit us on our website at www.madisonadoption.org.